ThanksGivingThanksGiving

Next 25, as promised!

26.  Traveling!  We have had the opportunity to see some of the most incredible places on earth in the past few years, and now we have the opportunity to live in one of those places.  It has its ups and downs, but it is an undeniably life-altering experience, and we are so grateful.

27.  Walking!  This may sound odd, but we have been walking more in these last few months than we have… probably ever.  We walk everywhere, and nothing makes you more attentive to something you have taken for grated than suddenly having no other option but to do that thing.  I mean, we could take the bus (so I guess there is an option), but walking is free.  And, man, are we getting in some good shape!

28.  Reading!  It’s hard to be thankful for something when it is forced upon you (i.e. being required to read certain texts for, say, seminary).  But we are both at a point when we largely have control over what we read, and it is such a delight to have that control.  There are some masterful groupings of sentences out there.  Who knew!

29.  The Office!  We have been downloading the new episodes of The Office from iTunes every week, and we are so relieved to live in a day and age when we could do such a thing.  Because: life without Thanksgiving is tough enough; life without John Kraskinski?  Impossible.

30.  Our flat!  We live in a tiny, one-bedroom flat in the middle of an incredible city in the UK.  When we were frantically searching for a place to live, we came across this flat, and, immediately, we both knew: this was the place for us.

31.  Sunlight!  Nothing makes you appreciate the sun more than living in a climate that rarely sees it, during a time of year that bids it goodbye in the middle of the afternoon.  Oh how we love the sun!

32.  GREAT COFFEE!!!  I know we already mentioned food and beverages, but coffee deserves its own category as a guarantor of our happiness.

33.  Laughter!  Anne Lamott, that modern prophet, says that laughter is “carbonated holiness.”  We like to drink up.

34.  Cobblestone roads.  It’s killer for high heels and clumsy people, but there’s still something poetic about these paths.

35.  Ice!  Euro-peoples underestimate the awesomeness of ice in a drink.  We bought a little star-shaped ice cube tray, and, darnit, we love ice.

36.  Our warm bed!  See the pic above.  Is there anything more wonderful than a cozy bed after a long day?

37.  The Internet!  God bless Al Gore, or whoever it was that came up with this wackadoodle invention.  It keeps us connected, informed, and entertained, and it’s hard to imagine life without it.

38.  Our Princeton Seminary community!  We know and can list the extensive problems with PTSem.  And yet, we are so grateful for it in our lives.  It has changed us, shaped us, and provided us with a community that we know will last a lifetime.  Even here in Scotland, we can’t escape that community, and for that, we are grateful.

39.  Project Runway!  I (Peter) have a thing for Heidi Klum; I (Megan) tire of her easily.  Still, we are mesmerized by this show.  What talent some people have!  We find it awe-inspiring, and we are so thankful that we get the show over here.

40.  This commercial.  Delights us every time.  Taking all our parenting tips from this woman.

41.  Our musical instruments!  Peter saith: My guitar keeps us company when we’re lonely, and helps us to sing songs in a strange land…

cf. Psalm 137:4-5: How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?  If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!

Megan saith: My keyboard (which is securely awaiting my return in a storage unit in Princeton) has breathed life back into mine time and time again.

42.  Megan’s cooking (says Peter):  Tasty, filling, homey.

43.  The park next to our flat!  It has children playing and rejoicing in all sorts of weather.  And it has a basketball court, which has inspired us to get a £2 basketball and improve our game.

44.  Starbucks’ winter drinks!  We know, we know.  It’s commercial, it’s not that great a quality coffee, etc., etc.  BUT!  Who can resist a drink in a red cup?  Not us.

45.  Warm showers!  We were pretty certain that we would end up in a flat that had low water pressure and cold water (just seems befitting of Britain).  But we have been pleasantly surprised by our steamy showers every morning.  Warm, refreshing, and robust!

46.  Simple living!  We came to the UK with little more than three suitcases, a guitar, and three boxes full of clothes.  Most of our stuff is either being used by friends or is in storage somewhere.  And you know what?  We’re realizing that we really don’t need all that much in life to be happy.  We’re thankful for this lesson.

47.  The book of Genesis.  Tonight, we finish reading through Genesis, which we began when we first arrived in Scotland.  We figured it was a fitting saga to read as we began our own saga together, pilgrims in a foreign land who have to rely on the promises of a God that can seem hidden– or even altogether absent, at times.  The Hebrews are now in Egypt, God has protected them and provided for their progeny, and their stories are resonating in our hearts and lives like seldom before.

48.  Peter.  I (Megan) am so thankful that I have–miraculously– been granted the privilege of living my life with and alongside Peter Kline’s.  His humility, gentleness, and sense of humor are like a compass, guiding me toward my best self, day after day.

49.  Megan. I (Peter) am so thankful to have been given such a wonderful woman. Megan’s compassion and tenderness combined with her inexhaustible  spunk and wit make every day an adventure worth living. Also, she keeps me well fed, which is just about the best gift anybody could receive.

50. We are thank for God’s faithfulness and constancy. There have been days here when God has seemed absent, but the small reminders of His Spirit we receive (sometimes unexpectedly) teach us that God is never absent, only sometimes hidden.

GivingThanksGivingThanks

This is just another ordinary week in Edinburgh, which is strange for us.   We know that Thanksgiving fever is radiating across our homeland, and, man, do we miss it.  Prepping and cooking Thanksgiving dinner has to be one of our favorite things to do every year, and it is so odd that this Thursday, we will not wake up to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade, drink wine and beer with friends/family, and cook a ridiculously indulgent meal for all to share.

But what else is odd about this experience is the fact that, for all its propaganda (I mean, seriously, the pilgrims and the native Americans really weren’t that chummy, if you think about it), Thanksgiving has become a time that Americans are encouraged to reflect on what we are thankful for.  And somehow, without this explicit encouragement, we have found ourselves absent-mindedly forgetting to give thanks.  And so, for our betterment and yours, we are posting 50 things for which we are very thankful (50 things for 50 states… it’s amazing what living abroad can do for your goofy patriotism!).  Today, the first 25.  Enjoy!

1.  Family!  We have been blessed with blood- or law-relatedness of the highest sort.

2.  Wayne DeWald (aka “Dad”)– You inspire us to enjoy the little things in life– from birds to Lemonade Gatorade to naps.

3.  Norma DeWald (aka “Mom”)– We can always count on a conversation with you to make us laugh and lift our spirits.

4.  Nicole DeWald– You work hard and you play hard, and we appreciate your example of that precarious balance.  (Plus, you look so good doing it!)

 

5.  Bill Kline (aka “Dad”)– Your healthy perspective on life helps us live better.

6.  Karen Kline (aka “Mom”)– Your compassion and wisdom know no end.

7.  Ryan Baker– Your enthusiasm for all your endeavors (including your love for Elizabeth) reminds us that life is exciting.

8.  Elizabeth Kline Baker– You are the spur in the Kline family ass; without you, we’d go nowhere.

9.  David Kline– You are one of Peter’s closest and most trusted friends, which is such a gift for a brother.

10.  Hannah “Fairchild” Kline– A conversation with you covers the whole spectrum of human emotion (exhilarating!), and you have that fiery red hair and British accent to boot!

11.  Matthew Kline– You have the sort of single-minded passion that even the greatest of artists envy.  (Incidentally, we are among the envious!)

12.  Rebecca Kline– You teach us how to love and appreciate all of our relationships, especially those with our family.

13.  Pets!  A friend of ours says that animals are like little shards of Being; and we sure love loving our shard(s).

14.  Bono, our precious little beagle, you are our most favorite being to be with.

15.  Chelsea– We are thankful that you are the one that stuck around and continues to do so.  (For more on the Kline family pets saga, stay tuned for a later post!)

16.  Friends– too many to count and too good to describe.  We don’t know where we’d be in life without each and every one of you.

17.  Food!  Drinks!  Sustenance!

18.  Salt and vinegar potato chips, while not appetizing to some, are a daily staple in our home.  They keep us sharp-tongued.

19.  Cheese.  ’Nuff said.

20.  Tesco sells this incredible pre-packaged tiramisu that is single-handedly changing our lives.

21.  How can we declare the goodness of Weston’s Organic Pear Cider?

22.  Ginger ale, a staple in our house, courses through our veins.

23.  Music!  The Arcade Fire and David Crowder’s new album, “Church Music,” have their unique ways of soothing our souls these days.  How grateful we are for music!

24.  Skype!  Ohholynight, God bless the inventor of Skype.  Our Skype dates with friends and family have strengthened us for many-a-challenge.

25.  Healthcare!  Our Scottish doctor, Dr. McKenzie, is the kindest person we have met in Scotland, and her presence-of-mind-and-heart during our times of need has rekindled our oft-dwindling hope.

See you tomorrow for our next batch of ThanksGivingGoodness!

Adventures in Insomnia

I’ve never been a good sleeper, and my parents will still tell you that my older sister would fall asleep on command as an infant and small child, while I cried and moaned and groaned and whined and, essentially, attempted to throw the whole world into a non-sleeping frenzy whenever it was bedtime.  (Mom and Dad, you’re welcome for the character-building).

In some ways, I think, my insomnia served me well.  I was able to stay awake and alert while writing papers, studying, and doing all manner of ungodly work- or school-related tasks late into the night.  But, come morning, my body would so vehemently reject waking up from whatever stupor I had finally managed to grab hold of that I would transform into the worst MorningMonster you have ever seen.  (Hence: the coffee addiction).  In fact, when my father and Peter had their “barter-for-the-bride” talk (or, something like that…), my dad’s words of blessing over the intrepid-future-son-in-law included, among other things, his great delight and joy that he would no longer bear any responsibility in dealing with Megan-in-the-Morning.

Part of the problem, I’m sure, is that my mind refuses to get quiet any time quietness is desired.  I have learned, for example, after years of failed attempts at developing a habit of prayer, that I have to vocalize or write or read a prayer for it to have any sort of substance.  Otherwise, the prayers I try to pray become intricate webs of ideas and images and thoughts that take me entirely away from my original purpose, and I suddenly start to drift into daydreams about various scenarios and plans for what I’m going to eat the next day…

So, sure enough, whenever night falls and the world around me settles in for a long and peaceful slumber, my mind starts racing, and it’s all I can do not to jump out of bed immediately and start dancing around whilst reading Kafka in the hopes of crashing out of pure, physiological collapse.

Sometimes, I feel like I’ve tried all the fixes out there.  I’ve tried reading and watching TV and counting imaginary things.  I’ve tried sucking on melatonin tablets and eating turkey.  I’ve tried taking an antihistamine before bed, drinking a glass of wine, and/or drinking more than one glass.  In my most desperate moments, I’ve tried prescription sleeping pills, such as Ambien.  Of course, the prescription almost always works, but I certainly do not want to become reliant upon drugs to do something any normal human being should be able to do– like sleep!  Plus, for all the good nights I’ve had on Ambien, I’ve had as many nights with some pretty insane stories of loopiness.  Like, for example, the night I went camping with one of my best friends and started hallucinating in the tent, watching with utter amazement as the tent roof started swirling with different colors.  So, there’s that.

Anyone who has struggled with insomnia knows the frustration and agony it can cause.  It can feel as if you are utterly powerless in the face of the darkness.  It descends on you in a menacing way, mocking you as you lie in bed and try to get your mind to settle.  The peace and darkness of the night becomes ominous, and it’s really difficult to calm yourself in the throes of it.

And so, two things have occurred in the past few weeks that I’m not quite sure how to deal with.  The first is the fact that living in Scotland consists largely of living in darkness, especially this time of year.  The encroaching darkness comes on earlier and earlier, as we drift into our winter months, and we find ourselves in complete sunlessness at 4:00 p.m.  I feel like I have two options: either I hide away in my flat and avoid the darkness as much as possible OR I embrace the darkness, see what I can learn from it, make it my friend.  Perhaps, in making it my friend, it will have less power over me.

The second occurrence is the development of an incurable, minor ailment: tinnitus.  I have been having trouble with my ears for months, but I am terrible when it comes to being proactive with my health.  Unless something is genuinely hindering my ability to live my life, I ignore the problem.  Cut to now, when the development of trouble with my ears has resulted in a constant ringing.  The ringing is relatively easily ignored during the day, when I can watch TV or listen to music or read a book or do something to distract my mind.  But, come bedtime, I lay upon my mattress, and suddenly, when I close my eyes, I am Quasimodo on duty.  At noon.

Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring…

Maybe there’s a lesson in the madness.  But, for now, it’s quite an adventure.

Your One-Stop-Pop-Shop

When I received my M.Div. from Princeton, it said, among other things, that I have been found “blameless.”  I’m sure there is a long, theologically-rich tradition of why my degree states this, but I am not going to bother with discovering that tradition now.  What I AM going to do, however, is convince you that, having been found blameless by an institution such as Princeton, you should give weight to my opinions on popular culture.  (Obviously).

You’re welcome.

Opinion Number One, in the realm of FASHION:

For the love of everything holy, WOMEN!  STOP WEARING LEGGINGS/TIGHTS AS PANTS!

I’ve been away from the States for a little over two months now, and so I can only attest to American trends based on my limited viewing of American television and avid reading of The New York Times.  But, here in the UK, I am shocked no less than twice a day by the sheer and skin-tight fabric that is passing for legitimate pants these days.  Let me be as clear as possible:  Leggings and tights are not pants.  Stop the madness.

Now, some will say, “Surely, in your blamelessness, you recognize that there are some appropriate situations in which leggings/tights are suitable?”  To which I respond, “Yes, of course.”  However, there is a fine line between relying on these accessories to accessorize and relying on these accessories to serve the purpose that God only intended more substantial fabrics to serve.  And why bring God into it?  Well, naturally, because God was the first one to set this fashion rule up.  Remember when Adam and Eve sewed clothing out of the insubstantial fabric of the fig leaves?  And God was all, “Ummm, no.”  Then God made them more suitable clothing out of animal skins?  Remember?  REMEMBER?

I’m just sayin’, y’all.

Need some tips?

This is ok.

This is not ok.

This is ok.

This is not ok.

Are we clear?

Opinion Number Two, in the realm of TELEVISION:

There are some countries where the concept of America’s Next Top Model works.  CANADA is not one of them.  (Sorry, Jay!)

We stumbled across the atrocity the other day.  It was painfully boring.  Painfully.  Even writing about it right now is making me sleepy.  YAWN.

Sorry to do this to you, but a girl’s gotta prove a point:

Opinion Number Three, in the realm of MUSIC:

A good friend was asking for music suggestions on her blog, and in the spirit of this snarky, nonsensical post I thought I’d give some recommendations of music to avoid.  ’Cause, why not?

Katy Perry.  The reasons are too numerous to record.

Lady Gaga.  I’ll admit: she can sing, she can play the piano, she is invested in her performances.  Yet, I can’t quite get my head around the fact that she NEVER WEARS PANTS.  Also, come ON.  Learn to write some lyrics, lady.

Let’s have some fun, this beat is sick

I wanna take a ride on your disco stick

AND

P-P-P-Poker face, P-P-Poker face

 

Point proven.  The End.

Catharsis: Scottish Edition

There are many things that have been wonderfulfabulousterrificamazing about moving to a foreign land for a year.  For starters, Edinburgh is simply one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen.  And, while I can’t say I’ve been to as many places as, say, the Jolie-Pitt kids, I have been fortunate to see some pretty spectacular places.  (See here, for proof!)  Moreover, how cool is it that we are doing this?  I have always wanted to live abroad for a while, experiencing life as an American expat, and now I am.  Furthermore, living in Scotland guarantees a few niceties, such as free healthcare and cheap prescription drugs, good whisky (so I hear) and beer and pear cider at the pubs (so I know), and seeing totallyawesomely stereotypical things every so often:

(like teenagers in kilts…

… or men playing the bagpipes in the middle of a field on a random Saturday).

BUT!  There have also been some of the most jarring cultural differences that we have smacked into that are as unexpected as the fact that “clotted cream” is not nearly as disgusting as it sounds.

Let’s recount, shall we?

First: opening a bank account at the Bank of Scotland has been one of the single-most infuriating experiences in the whole history of human existence.  I knew, knew, KNEW that we should not have listened to the fellow classmate of Peter’s who said that he simply walked into the University branch and set up his account with a passport and student ID.  But, when you are withdrawing cash from your U.S. bank account (eh hem, Chase) every few days, getting charged outrageous fees by a bank hell-bent on punishing its customers for its own stupidity that led to the mess we’re in today, then you’d have hope that you could open an account in your country of residence, too.  Right?!

Buuuuhhht, you’d be wrong.  Because, while we have tried to be sensitive to cultural differences like the fact that Americans tend to expect customer service to be immediate and other countries can sometimes take a bit longer, we never expected that it would take SIX WEEKS to have access to THOUSANDS of pounds that we happily handed over to the incompetent staff at the Bank of Scotland, thinking, perhaps foolishly, that the bank would keep it safely in its care for us when we needed to use it.  Because, I mean, isn’t that why we have bank accounts?

Apparently not.  So, we continued to pay the aforementioned outrageous fees that Chase charged (I loathe you, Chase Bank) while the Bank of Scotland (I loathe you, too, Bank of Scotland) sent us unnecessary amounts of mail, one envelope at a time, regarding policies and procedures and the need for further ID.  I called the bank’s alleged customer service line no less than 30 times, and whenever I attempted to speak with a bank teller IN PERSON, I received classic British customer service: impeccable manners combined with UTTER INCOMPETENCE.

I plan to write a letter of complaint, of course, but I am taking a while to work on this masterpiece.  My goal is to ensure that every person who reads the letter cries.  AND YES, THIS IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.

Second!  Let me recount for you a conversation that I had the other day with a CHARMING young man who has the distinguished job of managing a local branch of a bookstore retail chain, a la Barnes and Noble.

Dude:  Ms. Kline?  I was phoning regarding your email about the bookseller position in my store.

Me:  Yes, thank you for calling.  As my email indicates, I had some questions regarding the email that I was sent in response to my application.  The email I received stated that there were presently no positions available for someone with my skills and experience.  However, I provided ample evidence of my retail and customer service experience, my advanced education, and my experience in this exact position at a comparable bookseller in the U.S.

D:  Yes, but your experience as a bookseller was ten years ago.

M:  Yes, it was.  But, as my application indicates, that was an entry-level, part-time position which I held while finishing my secondary education.  From that position, I went on to hold numerous customer service positions which clearly drew upon that initial experience and provide me with additional skills that I am certain could be useful for me were I to become a bookseller for your store.

D:  Well, it was not sufficient in this highly competitive market.

M (stunned):  Weren’t there three bookseller positions available?

D:  That’s correct.

M (still stunned):  And someone with ten years of customer service experience, a Master’s-level education, and impeccable references does not have the sufficient qualifications to work as a retail clerk at your bookstore?

D:  That’s also correct.

M:  For a MINIMUM WAGE position?

D:  (silence)

M (beyond stunned and now thoroughly flabbergasted):  So, um, do you keep my application on file or do I have to re-apply if another position is more, um, suitable?

D:  Well, your application has been rejected and deleted.  You’d have to apply again.  (Pause).  But the same measures will apply so…

M:  Um, ok.  So, goodbye, then.  (Hang up)(Crawl into fetal position next to Peter on the couch)(Vent)(Cry).

Seriously, Waterstone’s?  Seriously?  Needless to say: boycott is in effect.  Feel free to join.

Third!  As I’ve been typing this post, Peter and I decided to order some Chinese food to be delivered tonight because it is cold and wet outside, and we are both in a funk.  We Googled a place relatively nearby and submitted an online order for beef fried rice and sweet and sour chicken.  We received our confirmation email and waited for our flat to be buzzed.

And waited.

And waited.

Confused, I called and spoke with an employee who stated that the restaurant had not received our order.  I said that we had received a confirmation email.  She audibly shrugged.  So, we re-ordered and got 50 pence taken off the bill.  We were told that our order would arrive in twenty to thirty minutes.  And so, again, we waited.

And waited.

And waited.

An HOUR later, I called the restaurant to see about the “status” of my order.  I was assured that it would arrive within five minutes.  So we waited.

And waited.

Another fifteen minutes later, a man knocked on all of the doors on our level.  I unlocked and opened our door, made quick and apologetic eye contact with my neighbors (whom, p.s. I have never before seen), and retrieved my food.

“Cheuhrs teh yuh,” the man said, as he rushed back down the stairs.

Cheers indeed.

So, needless to say, we’re adjusting.  It’s funny– we really thought we would feel more “at home” with fellow English-speakers than we did when we traveled on the Continent.  Interestingly, the more settled we get in our temporary home here, the more we realize that we are “outsiders.”

(P.S. I miss France).